Even though the entire scene had been a disaster of epic proportions, Luca still took a slow breath and forced himself to smile.

At least some people were still with him.

Nyx was smirking like she was watching premium entertainment, Luna looked conflicted but hadn't bolted, and Lulu...well, Lulu was still standing right there, arms folded, chest puffed out like she was his personal bodyguard.

He was about to say something to thank them when suddenly a loud, mocking "Pfft—HAHAHAHAHA!" echoed through the clearing.

Everyone turned their heads at once.

There stood Julius, doubled over laughing, clutching his stomach like he'd just witnessed the greatest joke of his life.

"This—this is amazing!"

He wheezed between bursts of laughter, pointing straight at Luca.

"Absolutely amazing! I came here planning to ruin your little gathering, to call out whatever ridiculous speech you made and twist it against you! I was ready to argue, to humiliate you, to throw you off your game. But now…"

He threw his head back and laughed even louder.

"Now I don't even need to lift a finger! You've done it yourself!"

Luca's brow twitched, while Julius grinned, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Tell me, who in their right mind walks into an elven village and tells them to eat meat?"

"The same elves who cry when they cut down a tree?...This is comedy gold!"

He wiped a fake tear of laughter from his eye.

"You've outdone yourself, Hero. I couldn't have sabotaged you better if I tried. All I need to do now is sit back and watch you crumble. You've doomed yourself!"

That did it. Luca's patience that was already not doing well after everyone ran away snapped like a dry twig.

"Shut the fuck up, you dipshit." He gritted his teeth and glared. "Run away before I cut you into tiny pieces, cook you, and serve you to the village for lunch."

The laughter died instantly. His grin faltered. His face went pale, then red with both fear and anger.

"You wouldn't dare." He snapped.

"Try me and I'll turn your long ears into fried fritters." Luca said flatly, his gaze cold as iron.

For a second, Julius looked like he was about to say something else, but the venom in Luca's eyes made him hesitate.

Instead, he scoffed and turned sharply on his heel.

"Let's go, Leona." He muttered coldly. "Let this so-called hero dig his own grave. Whatever foolish plans he has—they'll fail on their own."

Leona lingered for a moment, glancing back at Luca with a quiet, almost pitiful expression. But she didn't say anything and just sighed softly before she followed Julius away.

Luca stood there, not feeling the best right now.

But then he took a slow breath and exhaled turned toward the three who remained—Nyx, Luna, and Lulu and managed a faint smile.

"Honestly, I thought I'd be alone again, just like the day I first arrived here. But you're still here, and that means a lot."

"Of course you still have me, Luca!" Lulu puffed out her chest proudly, hands on her hips. "No matter what happens, I'll be by your side!"

That warmed his heart for a brief second—until she immediately followed it up with.

"Although, to be honest, I also hate pigs and cows."

Luca blinked. "…Excuse me?"

"They're horrible creatures!" She said, wrinkling her nose. "Pigs roll around in mud all day, oinking and farting—it's gross! And cows? Ugh! When I was in the forest once, this weird baby cow started chasing me around for no reason!"

"I nearly broke my leg trying to get away!"

"So yeah, I don't mind if they become soup or stew or whatever. Consider it revenge!"

She rubbed her hands together mischievously, grinning like a little villain.

Luca blinked twice, then slowly said,

"Well...actually, I don't really think we'll be eating pigs or cows."

Lulu's grin froze. "…What?"

"It'll mostly be chickens." Luca said casually.

Silence.

Lulu's face slowly drained of color. Her grin vanished, replaced by a look of sheer horror.

"C-Chickens?" She repeated weakly.

Luca nodded, oblivious to her expression.

"Yeah. Around the forest here, I haven't seen any pigs or cows, but chickens?"

"There are plenty. Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. They're everywhere, which makes them the perfect source of protein!"

He even smiled proudly, adding,

"But don't worry—chickens are absolutely delicious! You can roast them, grill them, make soup, curry, anything! You just cut them up and—"

"NOOOOO!"

Lulu suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, cutting him off so loudly that even Nyx flinched.

"W-What!?" Luca shouted, startled.

"NOT THE CHICKENS!"

Lulu yelled, she pointed at him as if he'd just declared war on heaven itself.

"ANYTHING BUT THE CHICKENS!"

"Lulu, what are you—?"

"I WILL NEVER LET YOU HURT THEM!"

"Those adorable, feathery, little angels! Their tiny beady eyes! Their cute little beaks! They go 'bawk bawk!' and flap their little wings—how can you even think of hurting them you heartless monster!?"

Luca's mouth fell open. "Heartless—what—Lulu, they're birds!"

"They're family!" She yelled, eyes brimming with over-the-top passion.

Nyx had to turn away, biting her lip to keep from laughing, while Lulu was on a roll now, pointing dramatically at Luca.

"You...You monster! You barbarian! I won't let you touch a single feather on those sweet little angels!"

"Lulu—"

"No!" She said, stomping her foot. "You can cook my idiotic father for all I care, but NOT THE CHICKENS!"

Before anyone could say another word, she spun around and bolted into the forest, shouting as she went.

"NOT THE CHICKENS! ANYTHING BUT THE CHICKENS! YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST!"

Her voice faded into the distance, followed by the sound of a few chickens clucking nervously somewhere in the woods—almost as if she'd gone to warn them.

Luca just stood there, blinking, his mouth slightly open.

"…What the hell kind of relationship does she have with chickens?" He muttered.

Nyx, who had been trying her hardest to hold in a laugh, failed miserably. Her shoulders trembled as she snorted, covering her mouth.

"Pfft—Lulu and chickens, huh? Oh, Hero, you really picked the worst possible animal to mention."

Luca turned to her with an incredulous look.

"Wait—what do you mean by that?"

Nyx chuckled, her voice lilting with amusement.

"I mean exactly what I said. Lulu actually has a deep connection with chickens. And when I say deep, I mean the kind of connection that borders on spiritual insanity.

"She's basically the Mother Hen of this village. And if you go to her house, you'll understand why she reacted like that."

Luca frowned, confused. "...You're exaggerating. How bad can it possibly be?"

"I'm not going to say anything." Nyx replied in a vague manner. "Just check her backyard and you won't have any more doubts about her devotion and how you basically told her you were going to execute her children."

"Wonderful." Luca groaned. "I've emotionally traumatized my own ally."

Then, trying to move on, he glanced at her and asked.

"What about you, Nyx? Do you have some sort of strange connection to an animal here? Something that'll make you bolt the moment I mention it?"

"Please. I'm not like her." Nyx scoffed immediately, flicking her hair back. "I don't form emotional attachments to creatures with brains the size of nuts."

He blinked. "So...that's a no?"

"Of course it's a no." She said flatly. "If killing a bunch of feathered idiots is what's needed to solve this problem, then I'm all for it."

Luca gave her a small, relieved smile.

"Finally, someone reasonable."

But before he could say more, Nyx's expression darkened, and she frowned.

"Not to mention..." She added with pure malice. "Those dumb birds are the bane of my existence."

"Every morning, they climb up on top of my house and shit everywhere. All over my roof, my porch, my herbs—my ceilings are a painting of chicken crap!"

"I swear, I've washed it off a hundred times, and they still come back."

Her eyes gleamed dangerously as she crossed her arms.

"Honestly, Hero, if this whole meat plan means I finally get to wipe those feathery demons off the map, then count me in. This is personal now."

Luca blinked in surprise...then chuckled. "I think you might actually be more motivated than I am."

"Damn right I am." She said with a smirk.

Then Luca turned to Luna, who had been quiet, fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"And what about you?" He asked softly. "Do you also have a problem with the chickens?"

Luna hesitated, glancing between them, and then slowly shook her head.

"No, not all and I actually love chickens." She said in a small voice. "In fact, I love all animals. So, the thought of killing them—let alone eating them—it makes me feel sick."

Luca tilted his head. "Sick?"

"Yes...It's disgusting." She nodded, her face pale. "I can't even imagine it—killing them, let alone eating them." She shuddered, her voice trembling. "And when I picture their eyes looking at me, their little faces, I feel...nauseous."

Luca frowned sympathetically, about to reassure her, but then Luna straightened, a sudden determined look flickering across her face.

"But..." She said firmly, meeting his eyes. "If that's the only way to save everyone...then I'll do it."

Luca blinked.

"No matter how much it disgusts me." Luna continued. "I'll face it. Because I promised myself something."

"I promised that no matter what happens, I'll stay by your side, Luca."

"So, if this is what you believe is right, then I'll go through it too...Even if it scares me."

Her voice wavered slightly at the end, but the resolve in her eyes didn't.

Luca blinked, momentarily taken aback.

For a brief second, her words melted all his irritation away. The sheer loyalty in her eyes made his chest feel warm.

He then smiled softly and placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her gently into an embrace.

"You really are such a good girl, aren't you? Such a good, brave girl."

Luna blushed furiously, her heart pounding as she shyly buried her face in his chest, mumbling.

"I-I'm just doing what's right…"

Nyx watched the scene unfold, her arms crossed and a small smirk tugging at her lips.

'Like aunt, like niece.' She thought to herself amusedly. 'We both have the same taste in men.'

Then, clearing her throat, she looked back up at Luca.

"Alright, lovebirds." She said, breaking the silence. "That was touching and all, but I have to ask—what exactly are you planning to do now? Because, in case you didn't notice, the entire village just fled screaming at the idea of eating meat."

"Even Julius wasn't wrong about one thing." Nyx crossed her arms. "Making the elves willingly eat meat is practically impossible. Our culture runs deeper than their roots. You'd have an easier time convincing a rock to grow feathers."

Luna nodded reluctantly. "She's right. Even if they were starving, most of them wouldn't touch it."

But before Luca could reply, Nyx smirked darkly.

"Which is why..." She said, her tone dropping low. "...I say we force-feed them."

"…What?" Luca asked, wondering if he heard wrong.

Nyx's smirk widened, almost sadistic.

"If they won't listen to reason, so we'll use force." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We can strap them to chairs, tie them down, and shove the meat right down their throats if we have to. Easy fix."

Both Luca and Luna stared at her in horror.

"And if that doesn't work." Nyx went on casually. "We can use the same IV injection tubes from earlier, cut open a chicken's neck, drain its blood, and inject that directly into their veins."

"It's still protein, technically."

Luca's eye twitched. "You've got to be joking—"

"And if you want to get creative." Nyx continued matter-of-factly. "We can even grind up the bones, mix them in water, and make them drink it. You know like a fruit drink ."

Luca just stared at her, horrified. "Nyx—what the hell!?"

But she wasn't done.

"There's a treehouse a little ways off the main path. We can lure them there, tie them up, and feed them whatever's necessary until they adapt."

"Nyx!" Luca groaned.

"What?" She said innocently, shrugging. "You two are looking at me like I just proposed mass murder."

Luca rubbed his temples. "Because that's exactly what it sounds like!"

"Hey, I'm just doing what's necessary to save my village." She blinked innocently. "Don't look at me like I'm the bad guy here."

Both Luca and Luna just stared at her silently, the same expression of utter disbelief on their faces.

After a long pause, Luca sighed and said,

"There's no need for anything that barbaric. I already have a better plan."

Nyx raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Luna looked up curiously. "What is it?"

He smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"It's not complicated. I'm going to cook something so good, so irresistibly delicious, that they'll come crawling back on their own. I'll make them beg for a taste."

"…That's your plan?

Nyx stared at him in dismay.

"To seduce them with food?"

"Exactly." Luca said proudly. "Once they smell what I'm about to make, they won't even remember why they were against it."

Luna frowned doubtfully. "Even if it tastes good, Luca, I don't think they'll eat it. Most of them would faint before it even touches their lips."

Nyx sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, Hero, you're underestimating how dramatic elves can be. They're basically allergic to anything that used to breathe and even if you told them it tastes like the sweetest fruit they won't touch it."

"Trust me. Fruit and meat aren't even in the same league" Luca chuckled, brushing their doubts aside.

"Once they smell what I'm about to cook, all your high-and-mighty vegetarians will be drooling in line before they even realize it."

The confidence in his voice made both women exchange glances—then smile faintly. His certainty was contagious.

"Alright then, Chef Hero." Nyx stepped forward. "What's the first step?"

Luca's grin widened. "Step one." He said confidently. "We hunt down some damn chickens."

At that, Nyx's expression turned devilish.

"Oh, that's convenient." She said. "I have plenty of those near my house. In fact, they're probably up there right now, pooping on my roof."

Luca chuckled. "Perfect. Then let's go get them."

And just like that, the trio—Luca, Luna, and Nyx—started walking toward Nyx's house.

Their mission?

To hunt down chickens, cook the first meat dish the elves had seen in thousands of years, and change the entire village's perception of meat...

...one irresistibly delicious bite at a time.

Nyx smirked to herself as they walked.

"If this doesn't work..." She muttered under her breath. "We're going back to my method. I've got the rope ready."

Luca sighed. "Please don't."

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